2nd T20I: Jasprit Bumrah Fitness, Death Over Worries In Focus As India Look To Level Series vs Australia

Jasprit Bumrah's fitness status will be a matter of attention when an out of sorts Indian team will look at course correction options against Australia in the second T20 International and strive to keep the three-match series alive, in Nagpur on Friday. Bumrah, who has been out of action since the end of England tour, skipped the Asia Cup due to back injury. However, to everyone's surprise, the team management didn't play him during the high-scoring first T20I in Mohali, raising doubts whether he has still attained peak fitness or not.

To compound the team's worries, the 'three-and-a-half' pronged pace attack, including Hardik Pandya, conceded 150 runs in 14 overs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the seasoned pro, has already been taken to cleaners. He has leaked 49 runs in the three penultimate overs (19th) that he bowled against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia.

In this backdrop, a fit and fiery Bumrah is a pre-requisite for India as the home bowlers are increasingly being found out on batting belters.

The worst part about the team is that with five more official T20Is left before the opening T20 World Cup game against Pakistan on October 23, the Indian team looks highly unsettled.

If the approach of top three was a problem going into the Asia Cup, the bigger worry has been the bowling which has been exposed in good batting conditions.

Yuzvendra Chahal, who has been India's go-to spinner in all conditions, isn't looking menacing anymore. He has been expensive in the last few games and he will have to find a way to trouble the batters on wickets which doesn't offer much purchase.

However, all-rounder Axar Patel, who was shoed in as a like-for-like replacement of injured Ravindra Jadeja, has once again proved his worth with a